Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO

Chapter 881 - 575: Fake Antiques [02] Nora Scott: As for Face, I Don’t Have Any

Pedro Langley was staying in a two-story wooden cabin, built by the water, with an exquisite and beautiful appearance. In front of the house was a courtyard with flowers and plants, and by the river, there was a stretch of flowers, making the scenery delightful.

High in style, beautiful in scenery.

After getting out of the car, Nora Scott glanced around, turned her head to look at the approaching Pedro Langley, and asked, "Rented?"

Pedro Langley lifted his eyelids, "Bought."

"Huh?"

Nora Scott raised her eyes in astonishment.

"No choice, too much money." The CEO was about to wag his tail all the way to the sky.

"..."

Nora Scott rolled her eyes at him with a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"After your project ends, tourism here will be developed," Pedro Langley smiled and explained, "This place was bought to open a bed and breakfast for friends."

"...Oh."

The business mindset, indeed, is different from ordinary people.

"Is it just the two of us?"

Nora Scott stepped towards the cabin.

Carrying her backpack, Pedro Langley followed her leisurely, "There’s another person."

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

The cabin door was opened, and a familiar figure appeared at the entrance. Butler Loxley smiled and called out, "Miss Scott, Master Pedro."

"Grandpa Loxley."

Nora Scott’s eyes lit up.

If it were just her and Pedro Langley, Nora Scott would worry about how to handle three meals a day with him. But with Butler Loxley around, not just food... Butler Loxley could do anything, and there was no need to worry about anything.

"Lunch is just ready, and it’s all dishes Miss Scott likes."

Butler Loxley opened the door completely, focusing entirely on Nora Scott, practically forgetting Pedro Langley.

Pedro Langley smiled.

Nora Scott always had luck with grandmas and grandpas. In short, those who liked her really liked her, and as long as she wasn’t intentionally annoying, she was actually quite charming. She always had a good relationship with Butler Loxley, and not having seen him for some time, she was in a great mood at their reunion, the smile in her eyes never fading.

After lunch, Nora Scott sat cross-legged on the sofa eating the fruit that Butler Loxley had prepared and asked, "Grandpa Loxley, where have you been recently?"

Butler Loxley glanced at Pedro Langley.

Pedro Langley handed a peeled lychee to Nora Scott’s mouth, saying, "Opening an antique shop with Jack Carter in Anchel."

Nearly choked on lychee, Nora Scott was taken aback.

She knew about Butler Loxley opening a shop in Anchel, but what kind she didn’t know... um, an antique shop?

Nora Scott blinked, "The kind that loses money?"

It’s not that she was being harsh, but the antique business wasn’t easy, especially in the past few years. Except for families like Benjamin Durant’s, most of the newly opened ones are losing money.

As far as she knew, Butler Loxley had some knowledge of antiques, but hadn’t delved into it. Jack Carter... seemed to have no understanding of this field.

"Hmm."

Pedro Langley responded.

Nora Scott was puzzled, "Then why open it?"

Pedro Langley: "To be the scapegoat."

Nora Scott: "..."

Seeing Nora Scott stumped, Butler Loxley couldn’t help but laugh and explained, "Master Pedro heard that Miss Scott was investigating the group selling counterfeit antiques in Anchel, so he had Jack Carter and me act as bait. Precisely because Jack Carter and I know nothing about the trade, the bait is easy to hook."

After just a few months, Antique Street in Anchel knew about this shop, run by an old and a young man, rich as anything, with a little knowledge of antiques, but completely gullible. At first, they were repeatedly tricked while buying antiquities. Only after two months did they wisen up a bit.

Though they’ve wisened up a bit now, their reputation as "gullible" has been firmly established.

Nora Scott was taken aback.

She said, "I’ve heard Benjamin Durant mentioned before, that there’s this newly opened shop on Antique Street, an old man and a young man, both gullible..."

"It’s us."

Butler Loxley said seriously.

Nora Scott: "... How much did it cost?"

Butler Loxley looked at Pedro Langley.

Pedro Langley said blandly, "Not as much as the compensation you casually promised."

"..." Nora Scott was speechless, "Spent the money, and the clues?"

Seeing that Pedro Langley wasn’t trying to hide anything, and since Butler Loxley had indeed obtained a lot of clues, they honestly explained everything to Nora Scott.

Butler Loxley said, "After being ’gullible’ for two months, they came to us. We asked for a batch two months ago, not much, and we found a broker to sell it off. Recently, we asked for another batch, the order is big, they’re paying careful attention. I had Jack Carter act naive and gain their trust, and just a week ago got the exact location."

Nora Scott raised an eyebrow, "So, it’s nearby?"

Her reaction was so quick, Butler Loxley was momentarily stunned, then he smiled and nodded, "Yes." And then added, "However, Master Pedro means there’s no hurry to close the net yet."

"Why?"

Nora Scott turned her head to look at Pedro Langley.

"Remember when Alexander Vaughn, under the alias ’Egbert Vaughn’, infiltrated Ethan Scott’s circle?" Pedro Langley grinned.

Nora Scott "hmm"ed.

"Ethan Scott, while managing the Scott family business, wants to buy a batch of antiques at a low price through Alexander Vaughn, to make a profit on the Scott family’s antiques business," Pedro Langley said, "He thinks it’s a favor, thinking he’s struck a great deal."

Nora Scott: "..."

Lately, the Scott family has been suffering in business, and she’s nearly forgotten that they deal in antiques too.

But Alexander Vaughn is truly impressive, never missing a chance. Even after leaving Kaifengel, he didn’t forget to extort a sum from Ethan Scott.

After a pause, she asked, "Do you want to wait until their transaction is over before closing in?"

"Yes."

"How long will that take?"

"One to two weeks."

Nora nodded, saying, "I just got word from Biel Hall that the Ford Family was duped too, and Johan Ford is looking for them."

"I’ll try to hold them off."

"No need," Nora chuckled, "These people are all mine. A mere word can increase the Ford Family’s workload by half a month without any problem."

Members of Biel Hall are local residents; casually throwing fake info to the Ford Family and having them verify it will keep them busy. This doesn’t require Pedro Langley’s involvement.

Knowing her Biel Hall network spans the nation, Pedro Langley thought it over and had no objections, agreeing.

*

Nora Scott and Pedro Langley remain committed to their duties despite wanting some personal time.

After an afternoon break, they rushed to the project site for an inspection.

Butler Loxley didn’t accompany them.

After driving a while, the road became impassable, requiring a half-hour walk.

As soon as they got off the car, they spotted a local member of Biel Hall waiting, who checked a photo on his phone upon seeing Nora and eagerly approached.

A young man around twenty-seven or eight, dark-skinned, with a crew cut, unremarkable, but with a sincere smile.

"Hall Master."

"Have they gone ahead?" Nora asked.

"Yes, they should have arrived by now." The young man responded precisely.

"They" refer to the 1101 Engineering Team.

Nora said, "Lead the way."

"Alright."

...

The mountain path was tough, never constructed, seldom traveled, overgrown with weeds, and littered with stones.

The young man, accustomed to the path, had no trouble, slightly worried that the Hall Master, pretty with fair skin and long legs, might call it tiresome. But Nora and Pedro strode swiftly, easily keeping pace with him.

Originally, a half-hour journey took them less than twenty minutes.

Meanwhile, the team he deemed "early" had just arrived not long ago, with over half sitting or squatting, sweating and panting.

Yet, the exhausted experts and professors perked up when they saw Nora.

"Huh, didn’t expect even someone as impressive as you needs an actual inspection?"

"I thought certain people just dream up their blueprints at home."

"Maybe they’re just here to go through the motions."

...

Nora’s presence sparked hostility, attracting darts of sarcasm as soon as she arrived.

"Grandma!" Shaw suddenly jumped out, his loud voice drowning out all sneers, "Some grandkids speaking with sarcasm!"

"Heard them," Nora took the mineral water Pedro handed her, drank two mouthfuls, and lifted her eyes, "Aren’t they all grandkids? Let them talk, can’t really sulk over juniors."

Everyone: "..." Damn, got the upper hand again by these two rascals.

The confused young man: "..." Should he help Hall Master retort this crowd?

Pedro Langley took back the mineral water from Nora, closed the cap, then casually scanned the intellectuals, speaking slowly, "Before investing, I thought experts and professors would be broad-minded people."

Everyone: "..."

Proof that Mr. Langley is pampering Nora Scott!

They hold evidence!

"Mr. Langley is joking, are we supposed to swallow insults quietly?" Adrian Sullivan stood up, dismissing Pedro’s status, dusted off his seat, and argued back, "Plus, Nora Scott is petty, vengeful, malicious, with a heart as small as a pinhole. Isn’t Mr. Langley showing a double standard?"

Pedro naturally defended, "She only graduated high school; are you comparing yourself to her?"

Nora Scott: "..." Thanks a lot for revealing my weak point!

Adrian Sullivan: "..." Self-deprecation leaves no room for rebuttal!

Everyone: "..." Darn, walking the path of black fans, leaving them nowhere to go?!

"Is everyone rested, let’s start."

Ryan Ford stepped out, his face dark, to rally the people.

Consequently, everyone packed up and gathered, ready to start working.

Nora instinctively headed toward their direction.

Daniela Esteves noticed, sneering, deliberately asked, "Isn’t Miss Scott too proud to join us?"

Nora candidly replied, "I can humble myself to get your firsthand data."

Everyone: "..." Where’s your dignity?